Description:
How you practice influences your performance under pressure. Too many golfers train for the ideal game because it’s more fun. That approach is why so many golfers crack under pressure.
Too often I speak with golfers that do great on the practice green. But when it’s time to tee off then things don’t go as well. Sinking a 3-foot putt when your score counts is different, or so you think. The truth is nothing changed except for your perception.
To play well under pressure means you need to practice for pressure. It goes back to the old adage of hope for the best and prepare for the worst. You’ll regain your focus easier from the unexpected when you train for all possibilities.
Too many parts of the game are out of your control. So I encourage the golfers that I work with to focus on the things within their control. It’s a short list with only two things. Your actions and your attitude. That’s pretty much it. And planning for unusual circumstances that can happen improves your response to those crazy shots.
Think about the last time the unexpected occurred, taking additional shots for that hole. Did your focus unravel just a little more with each additional swing? My bet is that you were unprepared and didn’t have any prior experience to draw upon to get out of that situation.